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TOWSON, Md. (WJZ)—Orioles great Brooks Robinson is recovering in a hospital in Towson after he developed an infection.

Mike Schuh has more.

Robinson was scheduled to undergo an outpatient procedure Thursday. But on Wednesday night, he started to feel sick.

The 73-year-old baseball icon released this statement:

“Thank you for your outpouring of concern. I was originally scheduled for a routine outpatient procedure at Greater Baltimore Medical Center on Thursday, March 31, 2011. The evening before surgery, I developed a fever and infection. My doctors chose to admit me to aggressively treat the infection and I am responding well to antibiotics.”

On Friday, Robinson released another statement.

“I had a successful procedure yesterday to relieve the symptoms of the infection,” Robinson said, according to the news release. “The doctors are optimistic that the inflammation and infection will be completely cleared by the end of the weekend and they can move forward with my originally scheduled routine procedure early next week.”

“Anytime you say cancer it scares you to death,” Robinson said in the 2009 interview. “And it scared me to death, too.”

In the statement he released Thursday night, Robinson said he is now cancer-free. He underwent abdominal surgery last year.

Robinson is a legend and an icon not only in Baltimore, but in the world of baseball, holding nearly a dozen league records.

He spent his entire 22-year career with the Orioles and is considered one of the best to ever play the game.

In a previous interview, Robinson talked to WJZ about how baseball influenced his life.

Denise Koch: “Did anything that you learned in those years help you through this?”

Robinson: “Just keeping a positive attitude. In baseball you play 162 games; some games you’re going to do well, other games you’re not, but you just gotta keep going. . . . I’ve been a pretty positive guy my whole life, and I just think that the best days are ahead.”

Robinson has asked for privacy. He says he looks forward to a full recovery and thanked everyone for their prayers.

Robinson played for the Baltimore Orioles from 1955-77 and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1983.

An email account has been set up so people can send “get well wishes” that will be forwarded to the Robinson family. Send your message to getwell@gbmc.org.

WJZ will continue to monitor Robinson’s condition and bring you any updates as needed.